# Indian Bowlers Trigger Sri Lanka Middle Order Collapse in Colombo as Victory Remains Four Wickets Away

> India pushed Sri Lanka to the brink of defeat on Day 4 of the second Test in Colombo, leaving the hosts at 229 for 6 in their second innings before play was halted early by rain. Holding a narrow 16-run lead after following on, Sri Lanka face a daunting final day with India needing just 4 wickets to secure a 2-0 series whitewash.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Cricket · **Published:** 2026-08-26 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/cricket/colombo-test-ke-chauthe-dina-sri-lanka-madhyakrama-larakharaya-sirija-men-2-0-se-supara-sapha-karane-se-chara-kadama-dura-india-ti-22592 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** India vs Sri Lanka, Colombo Test, Manav Suthar, Saransh Jain, Rishabh Pant, Kamindu Mendis, Sonal Dinusha

India stand on the precipice of a commanding series victory in Colombo, reducing hosts Sri Lanka to 229 for 6 in their second innings by Stumps on Day 4 of the second and final Test match. Having been forced to follow on after falling short in their first innings, Sri Lanka hold a meager lead of just 16 runs. Inclement weather and failing light brought an early end to the day's play at 4:37 PM, with Sonal Dinusha unbeaten on 7 and Keshara Nuwanta on 3. Going into the fifth and final day, the Indian bowling attack requires only 4 more wickets to seal a swift victory and complete a clean 2-0 series sweep.

## Post-Tea Collapse Leaves Sri Lanka Reeling Against Indian Spinners
The final session of Day 4 witnessed a dramatic shift in momentum as the Indian spinners sliced through Sri Lanka's middle order. At the tea break, Sri Lanka had reached a comfortable 199 for 3, trailing India's first-innings total by a mere 14 runs. However, the final session turned out to be a nightmare for the hosts as spinners Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain exerted relentless pressure, triggering a collapse that saw Sri Lanka lose 3 wickets for just 19 runs.

The slide began when Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya de Silva got an inside edge off Manav Suthar, allowing Devdutt Padikkal to take a sharp catch in the slips. Shortly after, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, who was closing in on a maiden Test century, committed a costly error in judgment. Stepping out of his crease to attack Suthar, he was outsmarted as the bowler dragged his length wide, enabling wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant to quickly whip off the bails for a stumping. Saransh Jain then capped off the brilliant spell by trapping Niroshan Dickwella leg-before-wicket with a ball that turned sharply. Sri Lanka slumped rapidly from 199 for 3 to 218 for 6, handing India complete command of the match.

## Mendis and Sooriyabandara Mount Resilient 115-Run Counter-Attack
Prior to the post-tea collapse, Sri Lanka had mounted a spirited fightback through a 115-run partnership for the third wicket between Pasindu Sooriyabandara and Kamindu Mendis. Batting together for nearly 110 minutes, the duo refused to adopt a purely defensive mindset, regularly putting the Indian bowlers under pressure with aggressive strokeplay.

Kamindu Mendis was particularly harsh on left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, launching him for two massive sixes in an over. Sooriyabandara matched his partner's intensity by executing crisp slog-sweeps off Suthar. Mendis reached his half-century off 87 balls by hooking fast bowler Prasidh Krishna for a six, while Sooriyabandara brought up his own fifty off 78 balls. Their century stand effectively erased the 213-run first-innings deficit. The breakthrough finally arrived when Prasidh Krishna delivered a sharp short-pitched ball that forced Mendis into an awkward shot, handing an easy catch to Shubman Gill.

## Early Second-Innings Blows Put Sri Lanka on the Back Foot
Sri Lanka's second innings had gotten off to a disastrous start after being asked to follow on. Openers Lahiru Udara and Kamil Mishara were dismissed cheaply by the disciplined Indian pace and spin attack, leaving the host side tottering at 63 for 2.

Staring at a massive target just to avoid an innings defeat, Sri Lanka desperately needed a long partnership to extend the match into the final day. While Mendis and Sooriyabandara provided temporary relief, the upper hand remained firmly with India heading into the closing stages of the fourth day.

## Sonal Dinusha's Valiant Century Fails to Prevent Follow-On in First Innings
Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka's first innings folded for 290 runs, falling just 13 runs short of the follow-on mark. The highlight of the Sri Lankan first-innings effort was a gritty century by Sonal Dinusha, his second hundred of the ongoing Test series.

Resuming his innings from his overnight score of 85, Dinusha started aggressively on Day 4 by hitting off-spinner Saransh Jain for a four and a six to move into the nineties. He subsequently completed his hundred with a well-timed pull shot off Prasidh Krishna. Despite Dinusha's heroics, Sri Lanka could not avoid the follow-on, giving India a commanding 213-run first-innings lead.

## Siraj Injury Scare and Pant's Sharp Wicketkeeping Highlight Day 4
The fourth day also brought a brief moment of anxiety for Team India when fast bowler Mohammed Siraj sustained an injury while diving near the boundary ropes. Siraj had to leave the field for immediate medical attention, but he later returned to bowl in the afternoon session with a shortened run-up.

Meanwhile, wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant was back to full fitness after not keeping on Day 3 due to an issue. Pant displayed excellent agility behind the stumps throughout Day 4, capped off by his quick stumping of Sooriyabandara off Suthar. As rain and bad light forced an early conclusion at 4:37 PM with Dinusha on 7 and Keshara Nuwanta on 3, India will look to wrap up the remaining 4 Sri Lankan wickets on the final morning to complete a 2-0 whitewash.

## What this means for you
**Across India:** India's strong performance in Colombo boosts cricket fans' expectations while bolstering the national team's ranking and World Test Championship standing.

**In Sri Lanka:** Staring at a home series whitewash, the impending defeat places significant pressure on Sri Lankan team management to restructure their Test match unit.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. What was Sri Lanka's score at Stumps on Day 4 of the Colombo Test?
At Stumps on Day 4, Sri Lanka reached 229 for 6 in their second innings, holding a slender 16-run lead.

### 2. How many wickets does India need on Day 5 to complete a 2-0 series win?
India need just 4 more wickets on the final day to win the Colombo Test and seal a 2-0 series whitewash.

### 3. Who scored a century for Sri Lanka in their first innings?
Sonal Dinusha scored a resilient century in Sri Lanka's first innings, making it his second century of the Test series.

### 4. What was the highest partnership in Sri Lanka's second innings?
Kamindu Mendis and Pasindu Sooriyabandara put together a 115-run partnership for the third wicket.

### 5. Why was play called off early on Day 4?
Play was suspended early at 4:37 PM due to bad light and rain in Colombo.

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